A culture of worklessness? Historical insights from the Manor and Park area of Sheffield

Abstract

UK policy makers are increasingly seeking to tackle persistent worklessness in some communities. It is in this context that the Working Neighbourhoods Pilot was launched which targeted concentrations of worklessness in 12 localities across Great Britain. The latter posited that a 'culture of worklessness' has developed in some communities, which prevents residents from accessing employment. This article examines the historical evidence for such cultural explanations of unemployment in one of the pilot locations. The author finds little evidence of a lower cultural commitment to work among residents. Moreover, the danger is that, in failing to learn from the past, such explanations may herald an increasingly punitive policy response.